It is said that there are two kinds of Jazz: good Jazz and bad Jazz.On Friday the 28th of May, 2010 the Philip Catherine - Bert van den Brink duo performed at Porgy en Bess in Terneuzen, in the southwest part of The Netherlands as part of Scheldejazz'10.

Philip Catherine and Bert Van Den Brink(photo courtesy: Hans Koert)Philip Catherine and Bert Van Den Brink showed the audience during their concert at Porgy en Bess Jazz Club that they know how to make Good Jazz. Jazz is improvising. As you want to create good music you have to listen to each other and that's what both men did like the best of them.Philip Catherine( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)It's like Bert Van Den Brink visualized during the concert: We zitten allemaal in de bus en Philip is de chauffeur. (= We're all sitting in the bus and Philip is our driver). We zien wel waar we terecht komen. (= Let's see where it brings us). It was great to listen to these two skilled musicians, masters in improvising. In their lengthy one set concert they passed standards like Embraceable You and So In Love With You, but also own compositions like Philip's More Bells, Dance for Victor, Piano GroovesandLetter From my Mother.But they also surprised each other with unannounced themes or phrases ...........Philip Catherine and Bert Van Den Brink( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)In Dance For VictorPhilip passed a limit with some atonal licks, which made Bert to create the impracticable possible on the piano: he followed. Ik dacht dat moet ik ook kunnen ...... ( = I thought I can do that too ....... ).The concert was closed with a fast version of My Funny Valentine; a tune often associated to Chet Baker, once a guest at Scheldejazztoo. Both Bert as Philip accompanied this famous trumpet player in the past.Philip Catherine( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)

Philip Catherine, born in London in October 1942, started his career in the 1960s in Brussels in venues like the Rose Noire, where he performed with musicians like Jack Sels and Fats Sadi and developed during these 50 years in music as a sought after accompanist and performer. One of his latest albums contains solo and dubbed duo performances: Guitars Two. His cooperation with Bert Van Den Brink dates from the 1990s when they recorded a live performance at Nick vollebregts Jazz Café for the Tros Sesjun radio program simply entitled Live (Dreyfus).Bert Van Den Brink ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)

Bert Van Den Brink, born in July 1958 started his career in the 1980s, first as a classical piano player, later as a jazz pianist. Bert was born blind. His first record was mid 1980s with the Amstel Octet and Chet Baker, but soon he made his own (solo) albums. He performed with some greats in Jazz like Lee Konitz, Toots Thielemans, Nat Adderley, Gino Vanelli and toured with Dee Dee Bridgewater to list some. In 2007 he received the VPRO Boy Edgar Award, the most prestigious Dutch Jazz award.Philip Catherine and Bert Van Den Brink( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)

Bert, like Philip, are regular visitors of Porgy en Bess - one of the concerts with Hans Oosterhout on drums and Hein Van de Geynon bass, recorded at Porgy en Bess, December 2007, was recently released as Reflections ( a cd and a dvd with the documentary: Bert van den Brink - Mijn piano is een spiegel). I hope to review this set once.

The Scheldejazz'10 festival is the heritage of the late Frank Koulen, who started it in the late 1960s with a New Orleans Streetparade along the streets of Terneuzen. The festival offers each year in the last weekend of May, three days dedicated to the Jazz. In Porgy en Bess, the Huiskamer van de Jazz, the Philip Catherine - Bert Van Den Brink duo learned the audience how to make good Jazz!

Friday, May 28, 2010

In the month of May numerous festivals are scheduled in the south-western part of The Netherlands. I don't want to mention the pop festivals ( like the Bevrijdingsfestival), but I limit myself to the two major jazz festivals: the Fourth International Jazz Festival of Middelburg( which was schedulded last weekend) and Scheldejazz'10 in Terneuzen, which starts today. Today I love to share with you the program of the latter:Scheldejazz'10 in Terneuzen ( in the southwest part of The Netherlands)Philip Catherine( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)The Schelde Jazz Festival has a long history. It started all with a street parade in 1967 organized by Frank Koulen, the black owner, locally known as De Neger, of a tea room entitled Porgy en Bess in the Noordstraat in Terneuzen en developed into the 1990s to one of the largest events in the Zeeuws-Vlaanderen region with guests like Astrud Gilberto and Chet Baker. Now, in 2010, a new festival has been scheduled in May's last weekend: 28th up to the30th of May, 2010.

Rony Verbiest( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)What about the bands scheduled? The festival is opened at the Schelde theater on Friday the 28th of May 2010 with the Boo's Jazzoo's and Ronie Verbiest with vocalist Johan Verminnen. Ronie was the Artist in Residence of the Porgy en Bess Jazz Club last season and I remember the New Year's concertwhere he impressed on the harmonica. In the evening Philip Catherine and Bert Van De Brink are scheduled at Porgy en Bess - two men who know all the tricks ...... don't miss this concert. There will be music in several bars in the city, like in de PIT where Jules Deelder will play his records. On Saturday a street parade will revive the good old days of Frank Koulen and a lot of music will unsafe the centre of the city. What to think about Lillian Boutté, Jan Akkerman, the Jan Learbuch Orchestra, the Westerschelde Big Band, the Scat Cats and Gino Buysroggge and the Bulldoze Band? - just a few names to mention.

Jules Deelder ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)On Sunday Joep Peeters, will perform with his Terrific Ten, a band dedicated to the music of Elvis Presley ( with jazzy, zydeco, hillbilly, Swing, New Orleans boogaloos and Rhythm and Blues elements) in that typically Joep Peeters manner. If you've heared Joep's latest record, Elvis Anders, know what to expect. In the afternoon at het Arsenaalplein the Young Vips will perform and the Basily Family: the latter, featuring Popy, Zonzo, Tucsi, Raklo, Gino, Noekie, Zonzo, Morice, Marc and Antal Basily, will bring a program dedicated to Django Reinhardt, who was born 100 years ago.

Joris Postumus

The Young Vips contain two bands: the Joris Posthumus Quartet and the band of Simin Tander. Both bands were invited to join this Young Vips Tour 2010.Joris Posthumus just released an album, entitled Abyss, which surprised - so don't miss this concert too ..........

Scheldejazz'10 is a festival with both modern as traditional jazz elements - it's a pity that other festivals seem to be less diverge - The Scheldejazz'10 is a festival that will enjoy every jazz fan .....

One of the regular visitors of the festival for years is the Breda multi-instrumentalist Joep Peeters and his bands. This times he may close the festival weekend with a tribute to The King, Elvis Presley, together with his Terrific Ten Be there - Don't miss it ........

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Al Di Meola closed the festival with a great concert.4th INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL MIDDELBURG 2010Hans Koert

The 4th International Jazz Festival of Middelburg was completed with a concert by the great guitar legend Al Di Meola. The festival was schedulded from 21st up to the 24th of May, 2010 in Middelburg, in the southwest part of The Netherlands.